Gas-engine system.



EATENTED AUG. E, 1907.

J. E. TA'EE. GAS ENGINE SYSTEM. APPLIOATION FILED 00T.18. 1906.

W/TNESSES JOHN LINCOLN TATE, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY.

GAS-ENGINE SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 1907.

Application filed Uctober 18, 1906. Serial Noi 339,491.

To all whom 'it 'may concern: t Be it 'known that I, lJOHN LINCOLNTATE, a citizen ofthe United States, and a resident of Jersey City, in

the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have inventedvaJ new and Improved Gas-Engine System, of which the following is a full', clear, and exact description.

;- This i'invention relates to certain improvements in means forv generating power and more particularly to means adapted to be usedin combination with an internal combustion engine, whereby the efficiency of the engine is greatly increased.

The object of the invention is to provide improved means for cooling the cylinder of the engine by the circulation of cold air through the jacket, thus eliminating the water jacket commonly u sed and avoiding the necessity of maintaining a Vconstant supply of cooling water. I

A further object oi the invention is to provide means for utilizing the heat of the exhaust gases from the enfgine and converting this-wasteheat into mechanical energy. i

A further object of the invention is to Aprovide' auxiliary power producing means capable of use in addition to the main gas engine, and capable of use in conjunction with the engine orindependent thereof, thus permittingits employment as a-'starter for said engine.

v A' further obj ect of the invention is to provide means whereby I may utilize the motion `o f a vehicle when traveling down hill to store up power for use at other times, and to simultaneously actas a brake upon the vehicle. g

.Further objectsof the invention will be hereinafter set forth, and the structure bypwhich said objects 'are accomplished defined in the claims.

Reference is to be had'to theaccompanying drawing forming a part of this speciication,'andwhichrepresents diagrammatically an apparatus for accomplishing` the objects herein enumerated.

My improved apparatus is particularly designed forv employment upon a motor vehicle, but certain features of it are 'equally adaptable for use inconnectiohwith any internal combustion engine. `In the'specic arrangement illustrated in the drawings I employ an,4

is a casing 5 spaced from thecylinder walls, so as to: leave a cooling jacket 6,through which the cooling agent circulates. A crank shaft 7 extends beyond the vengine in each direction, and is provided at one end with an air expansion engine for an` air v motor 8, and

y yon the other end with'fan air' 'compreSsOrf'Bt Each of these'is preferablyv connected to thecran'k shaft by any suitable form of clutch, not shown, whereby the motor or air compressor may be disconnected from the shaft independent oi the lother and independent of the main internal combustion engine. A fly wheel l0 is secured to the drive shaft adjacent the engine, and one end of the drive shaft extends to any suitable point at which it is desired to utilize the power generated, as, K

for instance, the gear box of a motor vehicle. "A jacket A lll' surrounds the air compressor and is placed a short distance therefrom, whereby a cooling medium may be lcirculated within the casing to remove the heat of compression generated in the compressor.. The compresser is provided .with an inlet pipe 12 communicatingv with the atmosphere, and a discharge pipe 13 by which the compressed air is delivered to va radiating coil 14, within which the hot compressed air is c'ooledto lthe temperature of the outside atmosphere. In case the apparatus is employed upon a motor vehicle, this radiating coil would preferably extend across the iront 'end of-theivehicle and occupy a lposition commonly .occupied bythe radiating coil of an engine employing a water jacket and water circulating system.. The discharge yend of this coil delivers to av compressed air storage tank l5, said tank being of strong construction and lcapable of withstanding "a `high pressure. The `rannpressedair after being cooled to the temperature from the coil 14 and the wall of the tank l5, is delivered .through a check -valveA 16and jacket of the air compressor 9.'V

Withinf the jacket the air becomes heated by radia- 18 and a three-way valveli) to the heatinterchanging c oil 20. This `coil\is"forrned o f a pipe of gradually increasing diameter,v and the lcoils ofthe'pipeare likewise formed of gradually increasing diameter, whereby the space'withn the pipe and'also the cross sectional area ofthe pipe and of the coil varies as the Huid within said pipe and coil passes from oney end to the other. The pipe 18 communicates with the jacket of the air compressor and delivers to the heat interchangin'g coil 20 at vthe smaller end of said coil, which is likewise the smaller end of the pipe forming said coil, and is drawn off at the 4opposite end through a pipe 2l. The inner sidel of the coil-isprovidedwith a plurality of baffle plates 22, and

the exhaust p ipe 4 of the gas engine delivers to thev largerl end of the coil and among the baffle plates. The exhaust gas from the engine is at a very high temperature and it is this heat which'l desire to utilizeand con-- vert into mechanical venergy'to assist the main engine.

As the hotV eshaust gases pass downward'through the` heat interchangingceil among'the baffle plates, the temperatureliecomes very materially reduced. and by a pipe 17 totheV o' the outside atmosphere by reason of the radiation -tion from the compressor cylinder and the hot com i pressedair is normally delivered through an outlet pipe the ltime the gas reaches the smaller end of the coil and is exhausted into the atmosphere, it is reduced to substantially the temperature of the outside atmosphere,

' while the gas traversing the pipe forming the coil 20 enters at a comparatively low temperature and is delivered into t'he pipe 21 adjacent the outlet yfrom the exhaust pipe at a very high temperature. By decreasing the cross section of the coil from the delivery,

end of the pipe 4 to the outletinto the atmosphere, I permit the exhaust gas from the 'engine to travel through the coil at a uniform speed, while by increasing the diameter of the pipe forming the coil in the direction in which the contained gas flows, I; also permit a uniform rate ospeed within the' pipe, dueto .the fact able for use upon the drive shaft 7 to assist the main iuduction of temperature occurs within the expansion en ternal combustion engine. By the expansion of the lairand the conversion of the heat into Work, a' great regine, and tlie air delivered therefrom through the pipe 2 3 is ata very low temperature. This air may under favorable circumstances be reduced to a temperature far below that of the atmosphere and thus becomes available4 for use in cooling the main engine cylinder. The

. cold air from thepipe 23 is delivered into the jacket 5 of the .internal combustion engine and after becoming h eated by the radiation from the engine cylinder it is permitted to escape through -a pipe 24 leading to a second coil 25 surrounding the coil 20, and preferably in ,direct contact therewith. The air Within the pipe 24 is at a high temperature and serves to heat the air Within i `the coil 20, thus acting i'nconjunction with and in addijtion to the heat of the exhaust gas delivered through the pipe 4 to the interiorof the coil 20. The pipe forming the coil 25, is of gradually reducing diameter as the gas colita'med therein is of gradually reducing temperature,

' and the smaller end of the coil communicates with the atmosphere through a4 discharge pipe 26.v To prevent 'radiation to the atmosphere from the coil 25, this coil may,`if desired, be entireiyitsurrounded byan asbestos jacket 27.

In the normal -operation of the improved apparatus above described, the shaft 7 is caused-to rotate by the main internal combustion engine, and both the compresser-and inotor are connected to said shaft. The air Acompressed in the compressor 9 is cooled in the coil 14 to the temperatine'of the atmosphere and the cooled compressed air circulated through the jacket of the compressoil to remove the heat of compression at this point,

The heated compressed air is still further heated in the l coil 20 and then delivered to the air expansion engine 8 wherework is 'done in assisting the main engine, and

the cold exhaust is delivered to the jacket of the main engine to reduce the temperature. The air of low pressure but high temperature is conducted from the jacket of the engine to the coil 25 where it aids the exhaust gas imm the :nain engine to heat the compressed gas deto the air expansion engine, and in doing softhe air from the engine jacket, as well as the exhaust gas from the main engine, is cooled toa temperature but slightly higher than that oi the atmosphere.

In conjunction with the apparatus above described, I may, if desired, employ a combustion chamber 28 connected by a pipe 29 and check'valve 30 lto the three-way valve 19, land connected by a `pipe 31 and check valve 32 to the pipe 21. A small pipe 33 leadingfrom the fuel supply tank enters the combustion chamber and terminates in a small spray nozzle 34. A spark plugv35 is inserted Within the Wall 'oi the combustion chamber and connected to a battery 36, whereby the explosive mixture produced Within lthe chamber 28 may be ignited. v

A supply of compressed air is normally contained within the tank 15 and by means of this supply of compressed air the main engine maybe .started in operationf To start the engine the compressor is discon-. nected from the drive shaft 7 and by turning the threey way valve 19 so that the jacket of the compressor may g5 communicate with the chamber 28,.the compressed air within the air tank may escape throughp'the pipes 17, 18, 29, 31 vand 21 to the air expansion engine 8.v This engine beingl connected Vto the drive shaft 7, as is also the main internal combustion engine, the latter is started in operation, and thus all necessity for crankingthe engine is obviated. As soon as the internal combustion engine is started, the three-way valve 19 is turned tol the position illustratedl in the drawings and the compressor is connected to thedrive shaft 7 95 to restore'the pressure in the .tank 15 and enable the parts to carry'on the functions above described.

In case the apparatus above described is employed upon a motor vehicle and the vehicle is traveling downhill, at which time it is unnecessary to apply any power to the drive shaft and it is desirable to apply a brake, the internal combustion engine and the air expansion engine may be disconnected from the drive shaft, leaving the compressor in operation. The motion of the vehicle will be transmitted through the gearing to the shaft 7 to operate the compressor and as high a pressure et air may-thus be created within the storagetank 15 as is desired, and the work done in compressing this air will be derived directly from the mo. tion of `the vehicle, and the action of the compressor will serve to retard the vehicle andact as a brake. Instead oi leaving the 'compressor in operation, it may be disconnected instead o the air expansion engine 8 and the main gear of the vehicle reversed, whereby the air expansion engine will be converted into an air compressor, receiving its air through a check valve 37 in a branch pipe 38 communicating with the atmosphere, and delivering this compressed air through a pipe 39, a valve 40, and a-chec-k valve 41 into the pipe 1 3 and radiating coil 14. If desired, reversing gears may be provided in the connection of the air expansion engine to the shaft 7, whereby the air compressor and the expansion engine may be simultaneously emplyed to compress air and deliver it to the Stora-gereservoir while the vehicle is traveling down-bilhthus a double brake would be provided and energy-'stored up which could be utilizedfo'r running the `air expansion engine whenever it is desired to employ-said engine in :addition to the main internal combustion engine.

erate the apparatus 'at a slov'v'erspeed than that at which the main engine normallyruns, I may disconne'ct the main engine from the drive shaft butlea've the air compressor and motorV operation. 'Bytui-ningx .the three-way valve 19. through an angle of ninety degrees from that shown in the drawings, ,whereby the` air from the jacketoi the-compressorrna'y deliver `to the chamber 28,' and byopen'ing' a valve the small .fuel supply -pipev 33, anexplosivemix'ture maybe' termed.

in un, nnmber 28 and ignit'd'by' thespafig ping. 35. As so'on as this ignitiontakesplace thei*pressure.rises andthe checkvalve would be closed'gandthehot' l lcompressed -gas would escape throughjthepipesl and l 21, .to the expansion engine 8 ,to rotate the; shaft 17V, and 'operate -b'oth the compressor andthe veliicle.-A Ais1 soon, as the '.pre'ssur'e vvitl'in the-Achanber. 28 decre'sestofthe pressure inthe tank 15 rnoricompressed air andmoie'. fneifwonid be admitted to in ennnkl 2s-engins 'these become ignited-'the pressure. wou1dfagainfrise anden;- haust through the vair expansion engin gine wouldbe, capable of `op`erating vthe;cnnpressor and doing outside wor lr',vdue to the increased'fvolme of the gas produced at the'4 time' 'ofthe ignitionad also by reason'of theincreased temperatiirey-, 3.5.

' The apparatus above, descrbed'is only-'gi many-illustrated.invthefirnwing-fnnditwiiiinfrcnrse,

be understood that'- various changes and-'inodiiications in the size andzirelative'arrangemnt lofftliepai'ts be found necessary. during therpracticl/employment of the invention.' vIciain alisuclrchangesandmedi .cations fallingwthn'ilhe terms oithe claims, as with-,

inthe scope o'imy invention;`

\ n I y A u c n s Having thus-mdescribed my invention, I claim as' newand desire to secure by Letters Patent: v

L In combination,f an internalcombustion engine, .an

exhaust pipe, leading therefrom, ,an air expansion engine,

means for` compressi-ng air, means for heating the com pressed air by lthe exhaustfroin'said internal combustion engine,- said means comprising a pipe coil of gradually increasing diameter and having the en1arged,end thereof surrounding the exhaust pipe of the inter-naif' combustion engine' and-having the opposite end` of; said 'coil'fopn to the atmosphere, and means for delivering'v the compressed. nir-heated within Sardinian by the exhaust from the internal 'combustion enginev tosn'i air. expansion engine.

y2. In combination', faiinternalv combustion engine, an

exhaust ipeleadingtherefrom, anair expansion engine, means for` compressing air, means forV heating the-co1rfr "pressednr bye the exhaiurf'rom said internal combustion engine,.a pipe coil o f gradually' increasing diameterv and formedof a pipe of'graduallyincreasing diameter und` bathe' plates between said ,.'coil,4 meansfor' delivering 4the 'exhaust of, theinternalcombusion'engne to the larger end 'ofMthekciL means for delivering` the compressedl air `to thesmaller endeof the pipeforming'v-fthe lcoll, and means for delivering theheated compressedairv from the larger end 'ofthelpipe forming the con to the ninexpnnsion engine.

-3.,In'combination, an lnt'ernal'fcombustion engine hav-` a' conduit' deliveringcompressed-Tair from said compressor 'to ysaid eiipansiomngine means forfheatng said conduit by the exhaust gas rom,said'.internal combustion engine,- ai'idfmeansgfo .also heating"sadlveoduitvby then-air prevhruslyjjheted `in.' theffiaciret of fthe -intern2-11` combustion enginey Y' n n .y 1

y 4 ,j VIncomparation; ari-internal'compustion engine having i jacket,- ar'x `air expansion engine, meensrforfcompres's'- ln'g siii-,1 a, :untercurrent'v-lieat interchanger having '-a .pluilaiit-y`` of: passages. therethrough,` means for delivering conipressed-air :from saidconpressor throughone of the pi'islsages. or said conntercurrent, apparatus to the niry eripansion-,leginegandmegins forAdeiivertng the exhaust gas4 trom said'A internal combustionv engine,andthe fluid heated in the `jacket of said engine to sepurate'passages of said' lountercurrentV apparatua'f whereby the compressed airy is heated- *byv passing-in 11g. reverse,v direction-tofftheheated f iuid -and exhaust gas. l, l `In4 testimony -whereofI I have signed my-,naine to xthisg specification in" the presence i; `tvvro-l subscribing .witnesses. .h ,.oHN'IIINotN-Tsrn-r l Witnesses.; l

' F. MijLDnxEs',

G. MLHGUE. 

